Officials responsible for protecting our borders, and deciding who gets into this country, and who doesn't, are increasingly turning to information technology-based solutions. The challenge becomes even more interesting when trying to make IT systems from different agencies and even different cabinet-level departments work quickly and seamlessly.

The department's chief management officer must certify all business systems that are expected to cost more than $100 million over their lifecycle meet certain requirements. This is the second time in five years lawmakers are trying to fix these business systems problems. DoD also trying to standardize 15 core business functions in an effort to overcome these challenges.

The bidirectional electronic health records system has been sharing data only one way since February when VA shut it down because of a cybersecurity vulnerability. VA hopes to turn system back on in the next two weeks. VA and DoD are beginning the next pilot to share electronic health records with the private sector in Tidewater, Va.

Critical agencies such as FDA, CDC, CMS, HHS, VA, DoD and DHS are responsible for achieving Federal health objectives through the use of IT. We get an assessment on how they're doing from former VA Secretary James Peake.